Interest in African rooted spiritual traditions such as Voodoo, Santeria, and Palo is growing steadily in the US, but few are aware that Hoodoo, a unique fusion of American folk practices and African magical traditions, has been a fixture of American culture for several hundred years. Author Stephanie Rose Bird shares with us some Hoodoo basics.

Your book Sticks, Stones, Roots and Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo and Conjuring with Herbs, is being released next year by Llewellyn Publications. What led you to tackle this subject?

Hoodoo is the magical path that I practice and that people around me were influenced by. It is a natural topic to discuss. As I've read the existent research I became increasingly more passionate about presenting an African centered point of view as well.

African spiritual traditions are rapidly gaining in popularity in the US and Europe. Do you have any theories about what might be fueling this surge in interest?

The complexities of the 21st century demand spiritual engagement regardless of origin. I am speaking about greater global communications, ease of travel and immigration, uncertainty, threats to health and well-being (be they politically motivated or environmental) The more quickly we change and evolve as a society the more we reach for what is familiar as a spiritual foundation.

In a more tangible way, an interest in African spiritual traditions specifically, may arise from compelling first hand accounts by spiritual African writers such as Malidoma Patrice Some (Healing Wisdom of Africa) and Malidoma's wife Sobonfu E. Some's Welcoming Spirit Home: Ancient African Teachings to Celebrate Children and Community. African Americans such as Queen Afua who writes from the Khametic (Ancient Egyptian) tradition as well as Baba Ifa Karade who writes concerning the Ifa tradition sparked interest with their popular books "Sacred Woman" (Afua, Q) and "The Yoruba Religious Concepts (Karade, B.I).

Hoodoo has enjoyed a huge upsurge of interest due largely to the copious archives and product line by Catherine Yronwode on her virtual hoodoo catalog and historical archives, Lucky Mojo Curio. Yronwood has also self-published several popular hoodoo books and she sells well respected hoodoo texts such as the research of Dr. Harry M. Hyatt among others. I write about hoodoo quite regularly, as an herbalist, aromatherapist and folklorist for academic, trade publications and popular magazines both online and in hard copy. In short, I'd say it is the power of written word from a variety of sources historical and contemporary, Black and White, that has generated interest in African Traditional Religions (ATR's).

What is Hoodoo? Is it a religion? How does it differ from other forms of African spirituality?

It's safe to call Hoodoo a magical path or a collection of folklore but it is most definitely not a religion. Hoodoo is quite eclectic, many other ATR's have a stricter set of parameters. Hoodoo incorporates mysticism and spiritualist teachings from organized religions (not just Christianity, by the way) and from numerous spiritual movements.

Are there negative aspects to Hoodoo practice?

There is no absolute yes or no to this question as it is a matter of personal ethics that formulates an answer. Since you have asked me, I believe certain areas of the practice benefit from updating for a contemporary audience. Some of the plants used have been come endangered recently so I advocate safe substitutes, for example, roots are used heavily and the root is the life source of a plant. I do not believe in harming animals, even if it is done carefully and ceremoniously. I have seen many old accounts wherein black cats are boiled alive so that their bones can be used, this is something I consider very negative spiritually.

I would not advocate wearing animal parts since animals are under a continuous threat by humans as it is. The version of hoodoo I practice substitutes certain traditional activities for equally effective humane ones. There is no denying that we live on a fragile planet. We are an increasingly urban society. As global population continues to grow, we must do what we can as responsible practitioners to work with the resources of Mother Earth, with an emphasis on replenishment and conservation rather than using, abusing and constantly harvesting.

In addition to ecological issues, on every magic path a question arises about the use of power, especially as asserted on other human beings. This is a responsibility that every magical practitioner must answer; Hoodoo's do not have strict rules on this, like the Wiccan Rede for example, so each Hoodoo has a different code of ethics As more Hoodoo practitioners come to the fore, the community grows and strengthens. I am sure issues like responsibility for our actions will be a continuous source of debate. We define and refine the craft by our actions, particularly what we are willing or unwilling to do on behalf of our clients.

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